OK - here's a one-time effort to inject a little logic into this understandably emotional thread. First, let me state that $27.00 for a copy of a single record seems a little over the line . . . but - if an American citizen requests information from a Federal Agency, then under the law that Agency must research all available records and provide copies of all information available that is not in conflict with national security. It's not just a matter of walking to a file cabinet, lifting out a single record, and popping it into a copy machine. Incidentally, the Agency that collects those funds does not profit from them. Funds collected for such services go into the general budget fund. Second, the employees who work in the SSA, for example, are hired to serve the potential and the actual recipients of Social Security services. That means issuing SSANs, processing claims, and maintaining individual records. They are not hired to serve as no-cost records retrieval clerks for all us family historians. If you want extra service, you pay for it. Third, those records ARE NOT public records. They are the "property" of the individual that they cover and the Agency that administers public funds. Think about it . . . . do you really want me to be able to go on line and get information about you or your family that might enable some illegal activity that is detrimental to you? Fourth, and this is a personal reaction, as an employee of the Federal Government (Dept of Defense) I really take exception to the blase' presumption that Federal employees are overpaid, lazy, uncaring, and all the other outrageous proclamations in this thread. All the people that I have known in over 40 years of military and civil service have been dedicated professionals who deserve better respect from the people they serve. Wayne E. Easter -----Original Message----- From: Poupeejo@aol.com [mailto:Poupeejo@aol.com] Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 6:34 AM To: MISSISSIPPI-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [MISSISSIPPI] Letter to Tommy Thompson on SS-5 In a message dated 8/16/01 7:12:58 AM Mountain Daylight Time, georgia64th@hotmail.com writes: > there should be no charge for public records and they should be on line for > us to research.  We as tax payers have already paid the wages of these > That is the way I see it too. Besides, the records belong to us, the public. The object of life has become to make more & more money for the sake of making more money, and nothing else seems to matter (for example: SERVICE). We need to speak up whenever and wherever we can, otherwise we are thought to be the silent dumb majority that will tolerate anything. ==== MISSISSIPPI Mailing List ==== To subscribe and Unsubscribe with ease, visit http://www.rootsweb.com/mississi and scroll down and click the appropriate link for the list you want, then click on Send ============================== Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 Source for Family History Online. Go to: http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB

I would say Wayne, you knowledge of Scam is limited, There are scams that can get more information from the Government that is more secure that the Social Security I know for a fact that Governmental agencies are les productive that a Private contract, WHY. If you don't know you should find out. . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wayne E. Easter" <weaster@home.com> To: <MISSISSIPPI-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 7:45 AM Subject: RE: [MISSISSIPPI] Letter to Tommy Thompson on SS-5 -**** a "bureaucrat's" perspective **** > OK - here's a one-time effort to inject a little logic into this > understandably emotional thread. > > First, let me state that $27.00 for a copy of a single record seems a little > over the line . . . but - if an American citizen requests information from a > Federal Agency, then under the law that Agency must research all available > records and provide copies of all information available that is not in > conflict with national security. It's not just a matter of walking to a > file cabinet, lifting out a single record, and popping it into a copy > machine. Incidentally, the Agency that collects those funds does not profit > from them. Funds collected for such services go into the general budget > fund. > > Second, the employees who work in the SSA, for example, are hired to serve > the potential and the actual recipients of Social Security services. That > means issuing SSANs, processing claims, and maintaining individual records. > They are not hired to serve as no-cost records retrieval clerks for all us > family historians. If you want extra service, you pay for it. > > Third, those records ARE NOT public records. They are the "property" of the > individual that they cover and the Agency that administers public funds. > Think about it . . . . do you really want me to be able to go on line and > get information about you or your family that might enable some illegal > activity that is detrimental to you? > > Fourth, and this is a personal reaction, as an employee of the Federal > Government (Dept of Defense) I really take exception to the blase' > presumption that Federal employees are overpaid, lazy, uncaring, and all the > other outrageous proclamations in this thread. All the people that I have > known in over 40 years of military and civil service have been dedicated > professionals who deserve better respect from the people they serve. > > Wayne E. Easter > > -----Original Message----- > From: Poupeejo@aol.com [mailto:Poupeejo@aol.com] > Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 6:34 AM > To: MISSISSIPPI-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [MISSISSIPPI] Letter to Tommy Thompson on SS-5 > > > In a message dated 8/16/01 7:12:58 AM Mountain Daylight Time, > georgia64th@hotmail.com writes: > > > > > there should be no charge for public records and they should be on line > for > > us to research. We as tax payers have already paid the wages of these > > > > > > That is the way I see it too. Besides, the records belong to us, the public. > The object of life has become to make more & more money for the sake of > making more money, and nothing else seems to matter (for example: SERVICE). > We need to speak up whenever and wherever we can, otherwise we are thought > to > be the silent dumb majority that will tolerate anything. > > > > > > ==== MISSISSIPPI Mailing List ==== > To subscribe and Unsubscribe with ease, visit > http://www.rootsweb.com/mississi and scroll down and click the appropriate > link for the list you want, then click on Send > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB > > > > ==== MISSISSIPPI Mailing List ==== > To subscribe and Unsubscribe with ease, visit http://www.rootsweb.com/mississi and scroll down and click the appropriate link for the list you want, then click on Send > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry's Library - The best collection of family history > learning and how-to articles on the Internet. > http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library > >

First, I apologize for adding something to this thread that has nothing to do with MS genealogy, but....... Way to go Wayne! I totally agree....I worked my rear end off for the 35 years civil service I gave the DoD (retired 1996). Worked many days hours after the normal 8 hour shift was over to make sure the job got done (no extra pay...I didn't even claim comp time the majority of the days!). Yes, I have a nice retirement annuity, but by gum, I earned it! Bennie W. White "Wayne E. Easter" wrote: > <snip> > > Fourth, and this is a personal reaction, as an employee of the Federal > Government (Dept of Defense) I really take exception to the blase' > presumption that Federal employees are overpaid, lazy, uncaring, and all the > other outrageous proclamations in this thread. All the people that I have > known in over 40 years of military and civil service have been dedicated > professionals who deserve better respect from the people they serve. > > Wayne E. Easter